What do you think?
Rate this book
Off Guard #2
Baking Lessons
A free-spirited baker becomes the best kind of mess in her uptight landlord’s perfectly ordered life in this next installment of the Off Guard series by Katie Ruggle writing as Katie Allen
Leah loves everything about her bakery—the heavenly smells, the satisfaction of feeding people and, of course, unlimited cookies. The only thing she doesn’t like is her uptight landlord’s daily visits. Sure, the man’s drop-dead gorgeous, but for someone with an insatiable taste for treats, he’s anything but sweet.
Army vet Hamilton knows he comes off as rigid. He just can’t seem to bite his tongue around Leah—he might be a virgin but he can imagine a dozen better ways to use his mouth. But when the woman he considers absolutely delicious is threatened by an unwanted admirer, Hamilton intervenes, captivating Leah with his softer side.
Now the man Leah couldn’t avoid is swiftly becoming the one she can’t resist. Unrelenting temptation soon overwhelms them both, leading to an indulgence in everything they’ve been craving. But when past actions bring a fallout neither imagined, they’ll be forced to confront whether their affair is half-baked—or something to savor forever.
And don’t miss the first Off Guard book, Acting Lessons, available now!
This book is approximately 90,000 words
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Deborah Nemeth
Leah loves everything about her bakery—the heavenly smells, the satisfaction of feeding people and, of course, unlimited cookies. The only thing she doesn’t like is her uptight landlord’s daily visits. Sure, the man’s drop-dead gorgeous, but for someone with an insatiable taste for treats, he’s anything but sweet.
Army vet Hamilton knows he comes off as rigid. He just can’t seem to bite his tongue around Leah—he might be a virgin but he can imagine a dozen better ways to use his mouth. But when the woman he considers absolutely delicious is threatened by an unwanted admirer, Hamilton intervenes, captivating Leah with his softer side.
Now the man Leah couldn’t avoid is swiftly becoming the one she can’t resist. Unrelenting temptation soon overwhelms them both, leading to an indulgence in everything they’ve been craving. But when past actions bring a fallout neither imagined, they’ll be forced to confront whether their affair is half-baked—or something to savor forever.
And don’t miss the first Off Guard book, Acting Lessons, available now!
This book is approximately 90,000 words
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Deborah Nemeth
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2018
40 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
About the author
Katie Allen
27 books278 followersKatie Allen is the fabulously filthy-minded alter-ego of romantic-suspense author Katie Ruggle. She lived in an off-grid, solar- and wind-powered house in the Rocky Mountains until her family lured her back to Minnesota. When she’s not writing, Katie rides horses, trains her three dogs, cross-country skis (badly), and travels to warm places where she can scuba dive. A graduate of the police academy, Katie is a self-professed forensics nerd. A fan of anything that makes her feel like a badass, she has trained in Krav Maga, boxing, and gymnastics. You can connect with Katie at http://katieruggle.com/, https://www.facebook.com/katieruggleb..., or on Twitter @KatieRuggle
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
October 26, 2018
3.5 stars.
It had its funny moments. Specially with hero’s quirk. He was missing the whole part of brain that deals with social communication, but is crazy smart.
He actually never understood when women flirt with him and he really didn’t care about any women.
He has quirks about cleanliness so it was safe to assume his lack of experience goes down as far as never kissing anyone.
However, at some places it seemed like we are dealing with 2 teenagers, not 30 something professionals.
There’s a little mention of him not being nice to her at the beginning, I didn’t feel he was a jerk. He’s naturally an uptight person. He wasn’t going out of his way to hurt h. He was genuinely a respectful and kind man.
Safety: no OW drama (h’s customers flirt with him, H has no clue and blatantly brushed them off). Possible OM drama. Heroine gains a stalker, he was a regular at her store. H was virgin, h VERY experienced. It was a nice change of roles.
It had its funny moments. Specially with hero’s quirk. He was missing the whole part of brain that deals with social communication, but is crazy smart.
He actually never understood when women flirt with him and he really didn’t care about any women.
He has quirks about cleanliness so it was safe to assume his lack of experience goes down as far as never kissing anyone.
However, at some places it seemed like we are dealing with 2 teenagers, not 30 something professionals.
There’s a little mention of him not being nice to her at the beginning, I didn’t feel he was a jerk. He’s naturally an uptight person. He wasn’t going out of his way to hurt h. He was genuinely a respectful and kind man.
Safety: no OW drama (h’s customers flirt with him, H has no clue and blatantly brushed them off). Possible OM drama. Heroine gains a stalker, he was a regular at her store. H was virgin, h VERY experienced. It was a nice change of roles.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2018
He’s absolutely precious guys. Like I think I fell in love.
31. VIRGIN. I LOVE ME A MALE VIRGIN. Never been with a woman because he falls somewhere on the autism spectrum to my understanding. He likes the local baker, who is also a tenant renting the place for her shop. She’s had a couple boyfriends in the past. Their relationship starts off as him being uptight, but that’s really him disguising his nervousness. And despite that, when it comes to Male leads with difficulty in social cues, he was incredibly masculine and took charge. He wasn’t babied at any turn. It was quite fresh at points as it’s his first relationship, so there were points of guidance but I thought it made it incredibly sweet especially at points where he just flat out tells her he can’t stop thinking about her.
Read it into the night! Completely safe; he gets hit on but never recognises it, or the women, she has a potential stalker in the form of a customer.
31. VIRGIN. I LOVE ME A MALE VIRGIN. Never been with a woman because he falls somewhere on the autism spectrum to my understanding. He likes the local baker, who is also a tenant renting the place for her shop. She’s had a couple boyfriends in the past. Their relationship starts off as him being uptight, but that’s really him disguising his nervousness. And despite that, when it comes to Male leads with difficulty in social cues, he was incredibly masculine and took charge. He wasn’t babied at any turn. It was quite fresh at points as it’s his first relationship, so there were points of guidance but I thought it made it incredibly sweet especially at points where he just flat out tells her he can’t stop thinking about her.
Read it into the night! Completely safe; he gets hit on but never recognises it, or the women, she has a potential stalker in the form of a customer.
March 13, 2018
Reviewed for
Wit and Sin
Baking Lessons is fricking adorable! It’s sweet and fun and sexy all rolled into one.
Leah is a talented baker who is as sweet as the treats she makes. She may tweak Hamilton’s nose as often as she can in the beginning of the story when he’s merely her uptight landlord, but she also can’t resist feeding him. She’s a friendly, funny heroine with boatloads of charm and a good heart. Not to mention her baking skills will make you wish her shop was real. As for Hamilton… Katie Allen made me sigh over him. He’s sexy, intelligent, protective, and incredibly sweet (I know I keep using that word, but it fits this book and its characters perfectly). He’s also so precise in every way and I adored it, even though I could see why Leah wanted to good-naturedly mess with him. But beneath his formal and Thor-like exterior is a socially awkward man who truly has difficulty with things being messy. Leah is the first person he’s ever wanted to “get messy” with, and I loved that she (1) worked to understand him instead of trying to change him and (2) helped him feel safe enough to move out of his comfort zone with her.
The first half of Baking Lessons flies by as Leah and Hamilton tease, flirt, and get to know one another. I can’t count the number of times the two of them made me smile and the way they fell for one another felt organic. There’s no false drama, no game-playing and it was incredibly easy to root for Leah and Hamilton to get together. Once the sexual tension boils over and they hit the sheets (and the shower, the stairwell, etc.) Baking Lessons gets seriously steamy. When Ms. Allen turns the heat on high the book is still fun, but I felt like some of the momentum of the first part was lost. I also kept hoping we’d see more of Hamilton’s background and that we don’t is a missed opportunity. Even with these few quibbles, I adored Hamilton and Leah and their romance was a delight. I’ve never read Ms. Allen’s books before, but now I will definitely keep an eye out for her work.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Baking Lessons is fricking adorable! It’s sweet and fun and sexy all rolled into one.
Leah is a talented baker who is as sweet as the treats she makes. She may tweak Hamilton’s nose as often as she can in the beginning of the story when he’s merely her uptight landlord, but she also can’t resist feeding him. She’s a friendly, funny heroine with boatloads of charm and a good heart. Not to mention her baking skills will make you wish her shop was real. As for Hamilton… Katie Allen made me sigh over him. He’s sexy, intelligent, protective, and incredibly sweet (I know I keep using that word, but it fits this book and its characters perfectly). He’s also so precise in every way and I adored it, even though I could see why Leah wanted to good-naturedly mess with him. But beneath his formal and Thor-like exterior is a socially awkward man who truly has difficulty with things being messy. Leah is the first person he’s ever wanted to “get messy” with, and I loved that she (1) worked to understand him instead of trying to change him and (2) helped him feel safe enough to move out of his comfort zone with her.
The first half of Baking Lessons flies by as Leah and Hamilton tease, flirt, and get to know one another. I can’t count the number of times the two of them made me smile and the way they fell for one another felt organic. There’s no false drama, no game-playing and it was incredibly easy to root for Leah and Hamilton to get together. Once the sexual tension boils over and they hit the sheets (and the shower, the stairwell, etc.) Baking Lessons gets seriously steamy. When Ms. Allen turns the heat on high the book is still fun, but I felt like some of the momentum of the first part was lost. I also kept hoping we’d see more of Hamilton’s background and that we don’t is a missed opportunity. Even with these few quibbles, I adored Hamilton and Leah and their romance was a delight. I’ve never read Ms. Allen’s books before, but now I will definitely keep an eye out for her work.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
January 20, 2022
Oh my goodness. Ham and Leah. I wasn't sure if they could top Jamie and Topher, but they were GREAT. Honestly, they might not have topped Jamie and Topher (because I REALLY liked those two), but they held their own.
Ham is uptight and a little appalled by baker Leah's messiness in her bakery kitchen, but utterly adorable all the same. He's also unable to stay away from Leah's baking. Which is a good thing for her because having someone like Ham on her side makes a difference when things go south.
For her part, Leah's inability to let someone walk away without plying them with baked goods (especially when they love her stuffed cupcakes as much as Ham does) puts Ham and Leah on a collision path of sexiness. Once she starts to see him as more than her super hot, rather uptight landlord, she grows to like the socially awkward, often clueless man.
Seriously, these two were adorable together. Ham likes Leah's baking (and the uncompromising rigidness of what she has to do to make her baking creations come to life) and Leah teaches Ham to unwind a little and get a little sloppy. THEY ARE GLITTERY HEARTS AND SWEET THINGS AND YESSSSSS. (although I don't think Ham would appreciate the application of glitter anywhere around his person. LOL)
I'm seriously smitten with both books so far in this series and I can't WAIT to see what book 3 brings.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Ham is uptight and a little appalled by baker Leah's messiness in her bakery kitchen, but utterly adorable all the same. He's also unable to stay away from Leah's baking. Which is a good thing for her because having someone like Ham on her side makes a difference when things go south.
For her part, Leah's inability to let someone walk away without plying them with baked goods (especially when they love her stuffed cupcakes as much as Ham does) puts Ham and Leah on a collision path of sexiness. Once she starts to see him as more than her super hot, rather uptight landlord, she grows to like the socially awkward, often clueless man.
Seriously, these two were adorable together. Ham likes Leah's baking (and the uncompromising rigidness of what she has to do to make her baking creations come to life) and Leah teaches Ham to unwind a little and get a little sloppy. THEY ARE GLITTERY HEARTS AND SWEET THINGS AND YESSSSSS. (although I don't think Ham would appreciate the application of glitter anywhere around his person. LOL)
I'm seriously smitten with both books so far in this series and I can't WAIT to see what book 3 brings.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
January 11, 2023
✓landlort-tenant
✓grumpy-sunshine
✓baker-army guy
✓stalker subplot
✓secret cinnamon roll hero
loved it!!!
✓grumpy-sunshine
✓baker-army guy
✓stalker subplot
✓secret cinnamon roll hero
loved it!!!
April 25, 2018
5 stars
Synopsis: Leah owns a bakery and does her best to annoy her uptight landlord. He doesn't approve of the things that she does, but he does love the sweets that she makes for him. One day, Leah makes a mistake, and drafts Hamilton to help her get a big order ready for a customer. He is very persnickety, but Leah is surprised how good he is at following directions in the kitchen.
Hamilton has a very orderly life, and Leah seems to be all about chaos. When Hamilton finds out that a regular customer is making Leah uncomfortable, he makes it his priority to make sure that Leah is safe. As they work together more in the kitchen, Leah realizes that there is more to Hamilton than meets the eye.
What I liked: the build in relationship between Leah and Hamilton. Leah's vendetta against Hamilton was amusing, and the way that she tried to tempt Hamilton in to loosening up a little with sweets was, well, sweet. Hamilton's protective streak toward Leah, even though he didn't want to admit that he had feelings for her was endearing. I had a smile on my face the entire time that I was reading the story. I liked the secondary characters and how they all related to one another.
I liked the interactions between Leah and Hamilton and watching them getting to know one another. As Leah gets to know Hamilton, she realizes that he is shy, and that his rigidity is a way to control it. Hamilton doesn't understand a lot of human interactions.
What I didn't like: this may be petty, but the cover didn't match the story at all. Hamilton would have never been without a shirt in the kitchen, as it would be too unsanitary.
Overall impressions: Hamilton, in spite of being a man of few words, was a strong, caring man. And Leah was also strong, and believed the best of people. Once she figured Hamilton out, she interfered on his behalf with other people. This was told in 3rd person POV from Leah's perspective.
*I received a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Synopsis: Leah owns a bakery and does her best to annoy her uptight landlord. He doesn't approve of the things that she does, but he does love the sweets that she makes for him. One day, Leah makes a mistake, and drafts Hamilton to help her get a big order ready for a customer. He is very persnickety, but Leah is surprised how good he is at following directions in the kitchen.
Hamilton has a very orderly life, and Leah seems to be all about chaos. When Hamilton finds out that a regular customer is making Leah uncomfortable, he makes it his priority to make sure that Leah is safe. As they work together more in the kitchen, Leah realizes that there is more to Hamilton than meets the eye.
What I liked: the build in relationship between Leah and Hamilton. Leah's vendetta against Hamilton was amusing, and the way that she tried to tempt Hamilton in to loosening up a little with sweets was, well, sweet. Hamilton's protective streak toward Leah, even though he didn't want to admit that he had feelings for her was endearing. I had a smile on my face the entire time that I was reading the story. I liked the secondary characters and how they all related to one another.
I liked the interactions between Leah and Hamilton and watching them getting to know one another. As Leah gets to know Hamilton, she realizes that he is shy, and that his rigidity is a way to control it. Hamilton doesn't understand a lot of human interactions.
What I didn't like: this may be petty, but the cover didn't match the story at all. Hamilton would have never been without a shirt in the kitchen, as it would be too unsanitary.
Overall impressions: Hamilton, in spite of being a man of few words, was a strong, caring man. And Leah was also strong, and believed the best of people. Once she figured Hamilton out, she interfered on his behalf with other people. This was told in 3rd person POV from Leah's perspective.
*I received a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
March 9, 2018
I really loved this book. It was everything I liked about the first book in the series. (Without the gag inducing creepy parts of "Acting Lessons".) The books are only very loosely connected, as in the MC from the first book is just mentioned as being Hamilton's military buddy. So you can definitely just jump into this one.
I LOVED Hamilton. He's obviously somewhere on the spectrum. Mild Asperger's at the very least. He was just incredibly adorable. He was so clueless in social interactions and the misinterpretations, with Leah thinking she was be obvious and him totally not getting it, lead to some really funny moments. Loved when he was making cookies and his sheer joy at it. Some laugh out loud scenes there.
I'm glad that although Leah didn't quite get him she was ready to try to understand and rolled with his quirks. It just made them such a sweet couple. I loved Hamilton's protectiveness and the bit of action with Leah's stalker. There were some nice steamy scenes and I could definitely feel the chemistry. I loved watching Hamilton come into his own and start making connections in his life.
The only issue I had, and this dropped a star for me, was But aside from that I really loved the book, the story, and the characters.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
I LOVED Hamilton. He's obviously somewhere on the spectrum. Mild Asperger's at the very least. He was just incredibly adorable. He was so clueless in social interactions and the misinterpretations, with Leah thinking she was be obvious and him totally not getting it, lead to some really funny moments. Loved when he was making cookies and his sheer joy at it. Some laugh out loud scenes there.
I'm glad that although Leah didn't quite get him she was ready to try to understand and rolled with his quirks. It just made them such a sweet couple. I loved Hamilton's protectiveness and the bit of action with Leah's stalker. There were some nice steamy scenes and I could definitely feel the chemistry. I loved watching Hamilton come into his own and start making connections in his life.
The only issue I had, and this dropped a star for me, was But aside from that I really loved the book, the story, and the characters.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
July 31, 2019
Having a hero like Ham, with such a combination of clashing traits (a former military with what seems to be autism spectrum and/or OCD issues) and his thorough, endearing social clumsiness so incredibly written, was unexpected, hot and sexy. Ham is just adorable, his awkwardness, kindness and flat out authenticity drawing us into the story to see how the character evolves and opens up to Leah.
The heroine is fabulous, too. Having access only to her limited point of view is a wonderful restraint, one the author, Katie Allen, excels at, as she’s done in the fabulous “Marriage Lessons”, book 3 in the Off Guard series.
I really don’t mind in both books having no direct access to the heroes’ minds, it makes the reading much more compelling and absorbing, a feast of showing, deducing, imagining, guessing.
My only complaint, as other reviewer commented, is the super fast transition from v… to bold sexual exploitations and the focus on those. But this is not really a complaint, I understand it was the author’s option and I still love these characters, Hamilton the most, their story, and all the cuddling, hugging (and blushing) they shamelessly practise.
The heroine is fabulous, too. Having access only to her limited point of view is a wonderful restraint, one the author, Katie Allen, excels at, as she’s done in the fabulous “Marriage Lessons”, book 3 in the Off Guard series.
I really don’t mind in both books having no direct access to the heroes’ minds, it makes the reading much more compelling and absorbing, a feast of showing, deducing, imagining, guessing.
My only complaint, as other reviewer commented, is the super fast transition from v… to bold sexual exploitations and the focus on those. But this is not really a complaint, I understand it was the author’s option and I still love these characters, Hamilton the most, their story, and all the cuddling, hugging (and blushing) they shamelessly practise.
April 11, 2018
Previously reviewed on The Good, The Bad, and The Unread:
It wasn’t until I’d read the book and started my review that I noticed the publisher classes it as erotic romance, and Amazon tags it as erotica, either of which might well have put me off reading it; however, the sex scenes are no more explicit or frequent than I’ve seen in a number of recent contemporary romance novels. Classification issues not withstanding, the book’s blurb grabbed me from the outset. I love books about characters who make a living from baking or sweet-making, and I’ve enjoyed a fair few series about former military personnel forging new careers and relationships in civilian life. I was also intrigued by the concept of a virgin hero, particularly when said hero was ex-military, and wanted to see how both he and the heroine would handle discussion of the situation.
Leah was taught to bake by her late grandmother, who raised her following the death of her parents in an accident, and she now runs a busy bakery and coffee shop, helped at times by a high school student, but often working on her own. One of her regular customers is the owner of her shop’s premises, Anthony Fitzgerald Hamilton III, who lives at the top of the building and has worked as an actuary since leaving the services. Leah delights in teasing her uptight and very proper landlord, but when she has a rush order of cakes to ice, Hamilton has no problem stepping in to help out.
The pair begin spending time together, in and away from the bakery. Hamilton has trouble forming deep friendships because of his exacting standards and has never been attracted enough to anyone before to overcome his dislike of mess, especially of the type he associates with physical intimacy. With Leah, however, he is prepared to try various forms of sexual contact, and she is more than happy to take things steadily with him.
Their situation is soon complicated, however, when one of Leah’s more pushy customers turns into a stalker. Hamilton takes the threat in his stride and does everything he can to keep Leah safe, but he can’t be with her all the time, and there’s eventually a confrontation.
I was mostly happy with the way the stalker subplot was handled, and didn’t find the sex scenes too intrusive. I would have liked to get more of a feel for Hamilton, ideally by seeing at least some of the scenes from his point of view. It was one particular sex scene, though, that really pushed this story down from a slightly shaky ‘C’ to a definite ‘D’. (Scroll down for spoiler.)
In spite of delaying vaginal sex due to not having condoms the first time they end up in bed together, Leah and Hamilton later have unprotected anal sex in the bakery, using butter cream icing as lube. Do I have to list everything that’s wrong with that scenario?
It wasn’t until I’d read the book and started my review that I noticed the publisher classes it as erotic romance, and Amazon tags it as erotica, either of which might well have put me off reading it; however, the sex scenes are no more explicit or frequent than I’ve seen in a number of recent contemporary romance novels. Classification issues not withstanding, the book’s blurb grabbed me from the outset. I love books about characters who make a living from baking or sweet-making, and I’ve enjoyed a fair few series about former military personnel forging new careers and relationships in civilian life. I was also intrigued by the concept of a virgin hero, particularly when said hero was ex-military, and wanted to see how both he and the heroine would handle discussion of the situation.
Leah was taught to bake by her late grandmother, who raised her following the death of her parents in an accident, and she now runs a busy bakery and coffee shop, helped at times by a high school student, but often working on her own. One of her regular customers is the owner of her shop’s premises, Anthony Fitzgerald Hamilton III, who lives at the top of the building and has worked as an actuary since leaving the services. Leah delights in teasing her uptight and very proper landlord, but when she has a rush order of cakes to ice, Hamilton has no problem stepping in to help out.
The pair begin spending time together, in and away from the bakery. Hamilton has trouble forming deep friendships because of his exacting standards and has never been attracted enough to anyone before to overcome his dislike of mess, especially of the type he associates with physical intimacy. With Leah, however, he is prepared to try various forms of sexual contact, and she is more than happy to take things steadily with him.
Their situation is soon complicated, however, when one of Leah’s more pushy customers turns into a stalker. Hamilton takes the threat in his stride and does everything he can to keep Leah safe, but he can’t be with her all the time, and there’s eventually a confrontation.
I was mostly happy with the way the stalker subplot was handled, and didn’t find the sex scenes too intrusive. I would have liked to get more of a feel for Hamilton, ideally by seeing at least some of the scenes from his point of view. It was one particular sex scene, though, that really pushed this story down from a slightly shaky ‘C’ to a definite ‘D’. (Scroll down for spoiler.)
In spite of delaying vaginal sex due to not having condoms the first time they end up in bed together, Leah and Hamilton later have unprotected anal sex in the bakery, using butter cream icing as lube. Do I have to list everything that’s wrong with that scenario?
March 19, 2018
The first few chapters of this book had me making weird faces as I tried not to grin like an idiot. I basically highlighted the whole dang first chunk of the book on my Kindle. There are just so many great, witty bits of dialogue! I am a desperate foodie so I loved reading all the descriptions about baking and life owning and running a bakery. Leah and Hamilton's back and forth and banter are glorious, and I love their weird little dance of courtship (and Hamilton's horny octopus arms).
---
The only thing I didn't care for as much was some of the language during the sex scenes was off-putting for me (I don't know why, the word "pussy" just bothers me), but oh boy are the sex scenes HOT. Ai!
I love Leah, she's definitely a girl after my own heart. She's the perfect blend of sugar and sass, and she attempts to bribe people with baked goods (though she feeds them anyway even if they don't do what they want - not terribly effective, Leah!) She's friendly and fun, and the way she twits Hamilton before she really gets to know him is hilarious. On that note, Hamilton is wonderful. I love how socially awkward he is, and that's he's a super hot stud with zero social skills. He's so clueless, but he tries so hard to be learn and be perfect. He's clearly super-smart and Allen's characterization of him makes me wonder if he's somewhere on the autism spectrum, possibly Asperger's? I'm also not sure whether to tag this as plus-sized heroine or not, because a few of the descriptions of Leah make it sound like she could be plus-sized, but maybe I'm reading into that because I want her to be...
This is the second book in the Off Guard series, but it can be read as a stand alone and really only has a very brief passing mention of the main character of the first book, Acting Lessons. That being said, I'm definitely going to go back and read the first book now, and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well!
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
"Don't be a baby. Just eat it."
"You eat is."
"I'm not eating it. It's an abomination."
---
"What?"
"What what?"
"You're looking at me."
"Yes. It's one of my favorite things to do."
The only thing I didn't care for as much was some of the language during the sex scenes was off-putting for me (I don't know why, the word "pussy" just bothers me), but oh boy are the sex scenes HOT. Ai!
I love Leah, she's definitely a girl after my own heart. She's the perfect blend of sugar and sass, and she attempts to bribe people with baked goods (though she feeds them anyway even if they don't do what they want - not terribly effective, Leah!) She's friendly and fun, and the way she twits Hamilton before she really gets to know him is hilarious. On that note, Hamilton is wonderful. I love how socially awkward he is, and that's he's a super hot stud with zero social skills. He's so clueless, but he tries so hard to be learn and be perfect. He's clearly super-smart and Allen's characterization of him makes me wonder if he's somewhere on the autism spectrum, possibly Asperger's? I'm also not sure whether to tag this as plus-sized heroine or not, because a few of the descriptions of Leah make it sound like she could be plus-sized, but maybe I'm reading into that because I want her to be...
Do not hug him. Do not hug him. It would not be welcomed. Do not hug him, even though he is the most adorable thing in the world, and he just proudly smiled at his ladybug cookie like he's never made sugar cookies before...
This is the second book in the Off Guard series, but it can be read as a stand alone and really only has a very brief passing mention of the main character of the first book, Acting Lessons. That being said, I'm definitely going to go back and read the first book now, and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well!
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
October 28, 2018
This was a great, feel good romance between an experienced heroine and a painfully antisocial virgin hero.
It was super sweet watching Leah try to understand Hamilton and teach him how to be messy ;) it was really funny watching her torture him too, just light-hearted stuff like licking a spoon and teasing him. He's really uptight and clean, and I'm impressed with the consistent characterization of "Ham" and "LeeLee" (two of the dumbest nicknames I've ever heard. Lilypad and Marshmallow they are not).
Their relationship progresses slowly and naturally. Leah is a headstrong woman and even though she's hot for Ham and her thoughts go crazy for him, she keeps her wits about and behaves rationally. Ham has some serious introverted, germaphobic, antisocial issues. However they slowly get comfortable with each other, and he learns to let go around her.
The thing I didn't like, and I'm being super picky and a little selfish, is that it felt like she constantly told him how awesome he is, what she loves about him, his great body and abilities; and he never really said anything to her. Does he thing she's gorgeous? Smart? Sweet? No idea! He might just like that she likes him. I could almost say any kind, patient woman would have done for him.
The sex scenes were hot and just the right length. His virginity is drawn out but we're entertained by what they do in the meantime ;D The only sex scene that skeeved me out a bit was
This book wasn't perfect but if you're looking for some giggles from a happy feel good romance, check this one out. At one point I started smiling and laughing from how warm and happy it made me feel. My family looked at me like I was crazy the whole time.
It was super sweet watching Leah try to understand Hamilton and teach him how to be messy ;) it was really funny watching her torture him too, just light-hearted stuff like licking a spoon and teasing him. He's really uptight and clean, and I'm impressed with the consistent characterization of "Ham" and "LeeLee" (two of the dumbest nicknames I've ever heard. Lilypad and Marshmallow they are not).
Their relationship progresses slowly and naturally. Leah is a headstrong woman and even though she's hot for Ham and her thoughts go crazy for him, she keeps her wits about and behaves rationally. Ham has some serious introverted, germaphobic, antisocial issues. However they slowly get comfortable with each other, and he learns to let go around her.
The thing I didn't like, and I'm being super picky and a little selfish, is that it felt like she constantly told him how awesome he is, what she loves about him, his great body and abilities; and he never really said anything to her. Does he thing she's gorgeous? Smart? Sweet? No idea! He might just like that she likes him. I could almost say any kind, patient woman would have done for him.
The sex scenes were hot and just the right length. His virginity is drawn out but we're entertained by what they do in the meantime ;D The only sex scene that skeeved me out a bit was
This book wasn't perfect but if you're looking for some giggles from a happy feel good romance, check this one out. At one point I started smiling and laughing from how warm and happy it made me feel. My family looked at me like I was crazy the whole time.
June 8, 2018
Okay so this book featured a BAKER heroine, a grumpy VIRGIN hero and food porn galore. I know right? Talk about catnip. It was too perfect since I’m currently on a real life baking kick myself and that cover dude in the apron practically screamed ‘READ ME NOW’. Well read it I did and unfortunately it wasn’t the feels inducer I was hoping for.
Ironically, given the amount of sweet treats Leah peddled and Hamilton consumed, the overall feeling of the book became went from sweet and endearing to saccharine and nauseating. The fact that I was stuck in overly perky Leah’s POV the entire time, never once getting so much as a glimpse into Ham the tin man’s perspective, only compounded the issue and also made connecting with the mains and their lust driven romance extremely difficult. Combine all that with an overabundance of sexy times that went nowhere, very little emotional depth to be found anywhere and a lack of plot (unless you count the psycho stalker thing, which I don’t), I found myself skimming my way through to the end of the story rather than savoring it. I’m beyond sad that such a promising premise was ultimately a huge letdown.
But hey, if you want a light, low-drama read and don’t mind erotic scenes that involve using frosting as substitute lube, give Baking Lessons a try...I guess? Bleh. Although I do wonder what they did with that ‘Popped Your Cherry’ cherry cake. Maybe it’s best I don’t know.
Ironically, given the amount of sweet treats Leah peddled and Hamilton consumed, the overall feeling of the book became went from sweet and endearing to saccharine and nauseating. The fact that I was stuck in overly perky Leah’s POV the entire time, never once getting so much as a glimpse into Ham the tin man’s perspective, only compounded the issue and also made connecting with the mains and their lust driven romance extremely difficult. Combine all that with an overabundance of sexy times that went nowhere, very little emotional depth to be found anywhere and a lack of plot (unless you count the psycho stalker thing, which I don’t), I found myself skimming my way through to the end of the story rather than savoring it. I’m beyond sad that such a promising premise was ultimately a huge letdown.
But hey, if you want a light, low-drama read and don’t mind erotic scenes that involve using frosting as substitute lube, give Baking Lessons a try...I guess? Bleh. Although I do wonder what they did with that ‘Popped Your Cherry’ cherry cake. Maybe it’s best I don’t know.
July 28, 2018
**4.5 Stars**
Adored the Hero. He was so wonderfully serious. The heroine was the perfect balance for him.
Adored the Hero. He was so wonderfully serious. The heroine was the perfect balance for him.
February 14, 2024
Not quite as fucked up as the daddy ick factor in book 1, but spoiler alert: buttercream lube. Will definitely NOT be reading book 3.
February 12, 2018
The pastry chef in me (done that for 12 years) and the romance lover in me are in awe! This was a
sweet read in every way.
Leah is a lovely chatty and fun character, someone I would not mind have as a friend in real life 🙂
She loves her bakery and gets immense satisfaction from feeding people. Her landlord however is uptight and difficult to deal with. She makes it her mission to annoy me him till his eyes twitch. It helps he is obsessed with her sweets.
Hamilton, the landlord in question, is uptight and he knows it. He is rigid and keeps to himself. Leah's messiness unnerves him, heck, her whole being unnerves him! Underneath all that though he has a heart of gold. When Leah needs most he is always there to help her. And when she is threatened by an unwanted admirer, he intervenes.
And with that, Hamilton becomes part of her life and her of his.
These two are adorable together. The friendship and relationship they built in her shop was a treat to my ears! 😉 They complimented each other in every way. He made her a little more careful and responsible and she thought him how to let loose a little.
I didn't know going in this book was part of a series, I guess now I have to go and get the first book!
The only reason for it not being 5 stars for me is that the 'sexy' scenes were not all my kind of thing. There is a scene towards the end with frosting that really was not for me... you will know which one when you get to it. This is a matter of personal preference though, takes nothing away from the amazing story Katie Ruggle (Katie Allen) created.
*This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
sweet read in every way.
Leah is a lovely chatty and fun character, someone I would not mind have as a friend in real life 🙂
She loves her bakery and gets immense satisfaction from feeding people. Her landlord however is uptight and difficult to deal with. She makes it her mission to annoy me him till his eyes twitch. It helps he is obsessed with her sweets.
Hamilton, the landlord in question, is uptight and he knows it. He is rigid and keeps to himself. Leah's messiness unnerves him, heck, her whole being unnerves him! Underneath all that though he has a heart of gold. When Leah needs most he is always there to help her. And when she is threatened by an unwanted admirer, he intervenes.
And with that, Hamilton becomes part of her life and her of his.
These two are adorable together. The friendship and relationship they built in her shop was a treat to my ears! 😉 They complimented each other in every way. He made her a little more careful and responsible and she thought him how to let loose a little.
I didn't know going in this book was part of a series, I guess now I have to go and get the first book!
The only reason for it not being 5 stars for me is that the 'sexy' scenes were not all my kind of thing. There is a scene towards the end with frosting that really was not for me... you will know which one when you get to it. This is a matter of personal preference though, takes nothing away from the amazing story Katie Ruggle (Katie Allen) created.
*This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
March 7, 2018
2.5 Stars
I just didn’t love this one, I struggled to get through it. It starts off interesting but drags in the middle and though I really like Leah’s character I wasn’t a fan of Hamilton.
Leah is a baker who is putting her soul into her bakery, the highlight of her day is the few minutes each more when her brutish landlord, Hamilton, comes by and Leah does her best to make him uncomfortable. Hamilton is very quiet and stand-offish for most of the first few chapters but like an onion, Leah peels back his layers. Hamilton has a major sweet tooth and Leah can’t help but to feed his obsession, especially when it means she gets to see his gorgeous face all the time. When Leah winds up with a bit of a stalker from the bakery, Hamilton steps in to act as knight in shining armor.
Unfortunately, I have to say Hamilton might be one of my least favorite characters ever, he just didn’t have a personality at all. I just don’t get why Leah was attracted to him from the start. Leah, on the other hand, is hilarious and the reason I kept reading to the end. I didn’t realize this was the second book in the series – so it can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
Read and reviewed for Wicked Reads!
I just didn’t love this one, I struggled to get through it. It starts off interesting but drags in the middle and though I really like Leah’s character I wasn’t a fan of Hamilton.
Leah is a baker who is putting her soul into her bakery, the highlight of her day is the few minutes each more when her brutish landlord, Hamilton, comes by and Leah does her best to make him uncomfortable. Hamilton is very quiet and stand-offish for most of the first few chapters but like an onion, Leah peels back his layers. Hamilton has a major sweet tooth and Leah can’t help but to feed his obsession, especially when it means she gets to see his gorgeous face all the time. When Leah winds up with a bit of a stalker from the bakery, Hamilton steps in to act as knight in shining armor.
Unfortunately, I have to say Hamilton might be one of my least favorite characters ever, he just didn’t have a personality at all. I just don’t get why Leah was attracted to him from the start. Leah, on the other hand, is hilarious and the reason I kept reading to the end. I didn’t realize this was the second book in the series – so it can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
Read and reviewed for Wicked Reads!
December 6, 2022
3.5!
Lighthearted and sweet.
3rd person narrative (yay!)
FMC POV
VERY spicy.
Virgin Hero ❤️
No cheating, no sharing, no drama.
HFN/HAE
Possible triggers? Stalker.
Personal complaints;
Although I loved the H I felt like his personality was a little inconsistent. The h was a bit TSTL at times but even with that I still found her likable. Sometimes it felt like there wasn’t anything really happening, like instead of progression there seemed to be some filler. Aside from that it was a very cute low angst read, definitely fitting into what I’ve been in the mood for. 😊
Yes I know a lot of people are upset about the last scene with the piping bag buuuuutttttt (hehe) it’s not the first part of the story that required a little bit of reality suspension.
Lighthearted and sweet.
3rd person narrative (yay!)
FMC POV
VERY spicy.
Virgin Hero ❤️
No cheating, no sharing, no drama.
HFN/HAE
Possible triggers? Stalker.
Personal complaints;
Although I loved the H I felt like his personality was a little inconsistent. The h was a bit TSTL at times but even with that I still found her likable. Sometimes it felt like there wasn’t anything really happening, like instead of progression there seemed to be some filler. Aside from that it was a very cute low angst read, definitely fitting into what I’ve been in the mood for. 😊
Yes I know a lot of people are upset about the last scene with the piping bag buuuuutttttt (hehe) it’s not the first part of the story that required a little bit of reality suspension.
March 2, 2018
Hamilton sometimes just gets the opposite effect than he wanted, “of course I was coming. You don’t have your car here.” He was obviously p****d, his face tight and his eyes narrow. For some reason, his glare didn’t scare or annoy her. It turned her on." Hamilton is a very proper man, “because you just thanked me in a very proper way for letting you eff my mouth.” There are times Hamliton is not a slow man, he moves at lightning speed, “I don’t have panties on, either.” In less than two seconds, he was right behind her, pushing up the tails of her shirt—well, his shirt, technically—and squeezing her *** with both." I liked this book, I loved Hamliton.
January 3, 2024
I can't believe how much I enjoyed this. Its been sitting in my library for a year plus and I just picked it up randomly today and loved it, and I rarelyy read CR. Just really hit the spot and was a cute story.
I thought Leah was great, I tend to find baker FMC to be over the top/too sweet/dumb, but here I didn't mind baking basically being her whole character for some reason. And even tho she didn't have much depth, she still read like a real person to me. Ham was was sexy but I do wish we got to know him a bit more. I definitely think this could have been closer to five stars for me if it had his POV. Also, I didn't mind the frosting scene 🤷♀️
I thought Leah was great, I tend to find baker FMC to be over the top/too sweet/dumb, but here I didn't mind baking basically being her whole character for some reason. And even tho she didn't have much depth, she still read like a real person to me. Ham was was sexy but I do wish we got to know him a bit more. I definitely think this could have been closer to five stars for me if it had his POV. Also, I didn't mind the frosting scene 🤷♀️
May 15, 2023
⭐️ 3 stars.
FROSTING IN THE ASS???????
WHAT IN THE YEAST INFECTION
okay okay this book was genuinely good till the last smut scene. pumping frosting into somebody’s ass isn’t sexy sorry 🤢
get your ass up to your room and get that lube come on.
it threw me off fr
thank god it was the last scene in the book because this is grounds for me to stop reading a book fr.
the book was so hot before that scene scarred me ugh. i’m so disappointed
FROSTING IN THE ASS???????
WHAT IN THE YEAST INFECTION
okay okay this book was genuinely good till the last smut scene. pumping frosting into somebody’s ass isn’t sexy sorry 🤢
get your ass up to your room and get that lube come on.
it threw me off fr
thank god it was the last scene in the book because this is grounds for me to stop reading a book fr.
the book was so hot before that scene scarred me ugh. i’m so disappointed
December 1, 2018
4.7 stars
Needed his dual pov! and an epilogue. I would have loved to seen one in his pov and year later! HFN ending.
Fair warning, this is erotica, WAY dirtier than I expected lol
Needed his dual pov! and an epilogue. I would have loved to seen one in his pov and year later! HFN ending.
Fair warning, this is erotica, WAY dirtier than I expected lol
dnf
February 24, 2021Couldn’t get into this one and I don’t know why...
April 26, 2022
It was great until that frosting scene. IYKYK.
March 3, 2018
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is a really fun book, with a bit of a stalker undercurrent, and a wonderful twist, which is just inspired.
Leah is a very warm hearted, very talented baker. I loved all the sections where she is baking and clearly pouring her heart into her work. She has a strange relationship with her landlord, but the interactions are essential. It was a clever way to give us some insight into Hamilton's cautious and reserved ways. As things heat up, it becomes clear that he has some issues - but Leah is a cure for them all. We get to enjoy their journey of exploration.
Super cute, sweet, and yet very, very sexy too!
This is a really fun book, with a bit of a stalker undercurrent, and a wonderful twist, which is just inspired.
Leah is a very warm hearted, very talented baker. I loved all the sections where she is baking and clearly pouring her heart into her work. She has a strange relationship with her landlord, but the interactions are essential. It was a clever way to give us some insight into Hamilton's cautious and reserved ways. As things heat up, it becomes clear that he has some issues - but Leah is a cure for them all. We get to enjoy their journey of exploration.
Super cute, sweet, and yet very, very sexy too!
June 16, 2020
A fun, light fluffy read that was surprisingly sex positive.
Too much steam and too little substance for my liking, but that's just me.
Too much steam and too little substance for my liking, but that's just me.
February 22, 2018
Baking Lessons (Off Guard #2) by Katie Allen
4 stars
M/F Romance
Trigger: Stalking
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
This was a very sweet story. Leah is an amazing baker and has a great store. She has a hilarious employee, Q who's antics had me laughing out loud. I loved the playfulness between these two and how they were able to respect each other but still have fun. I really enjoy that she is so accepting of everyone around her.
Hamilton is somewhat socially strange. It seems that he might have some OCD tendencies and perhaps is on the spectrum. Hamilton's quirkiness is endearing and sweet. He and Leah have a strange beginning and I actually thought he was kind of strange and creepy at first. However, when you see how devoted he is to Leah, his behaviors and mannerisms just endear him more.
Watching Leah and Hamilton find their way and their experiences together is a treat to watch. Then, when you throw in Leah's stalker and how protective Hamilton becomes, it's so sweet. This couple is well developed and have sweet, quirky chemistry.
4 stars
M/F Romance
Trigger: Stalking
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
This was a very sweet story. Leah is an amazing baker and has a great store. She has a hilarious employee, Q who's antics had me laughing out loud. I loved the playfulness between these two and how they were able to respect each other but still have fun. I really enjoy that she is so accepting of everyone around her.
Hamilton is somewhat socially strange. It seems that he might have some OCD tendencies and perhaps is on the spectrum. Hamilton's quirkiness is endearing and sweet. He and Leah have a strange beginning and I actually thought he was kind of strange and creepy at first. However, when you see how devoted he is to Leah, his behaviors and mannerisms just endear him more.
Watching Leah and Hamilton find their way and their experiences together is a treat to watch. Then, when you throw in Leah's stalker and how protective Hamilton becomes, it's so sweet. This couple is well developed and have sweet, quirky chemistry.
February 19, 2018
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This book has so many elements that I absolutely LOVED that I can't name them all.
Leah is a pastry chef, running her own business with the help of one part time employee. Her best friend, and roommate, is supportive and caring. When her building is bought by Anthony Fitzgerald Hamilton, III, she believes that he doesn't like her and will do just about anything to get her out of his building.
However, as she gets to know Hamilton, or "Ham" as she calls him, she sees that there is more to him than meets the eye. He's socially awkward, especially around women. He has some OCD tendencies that Leah finds quirky and cute, but most of all, its the heart of the man that Leah comes to adore.
Hamilton, I think, falls somewhere on the autism spectrum although its not discussed in detail. He does tell her that he believes that his parents don't really like him much because he "didn't fit in" with their lives.
What really sold me on this book is that Leah not only accepts Hamilton's personality traits but embraces them. Her acceptance of him just the way his is gives Hamilton the ability to break down some of the barriers that has kept him hidden away from life.
~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~
This book has so many elements that I absolutely LOVED that I can't name them all.
Leah is a pastry chef, running her own business with the help of one part time employee. Her best friend, and roommate, is supportive and caring. When her building is bought by Anthony Fitzgerald Hamilton, III, she believes that he doesn't like her and will do just about anything to get her out of his building.
However, as she gets to know Hamilton, or "Ham" as she calls him, she sees that there is more to him than meets the eye. He's socially awkward, especially around women. He has some OCD tendencies that Leah finds quirky and cute, but most of all, its the heart of the man that Leah comes to adore.
Hamilton, I think, falls somewhere on the autism spectrum although its not discussed in detail. He does tell her that he believes that his parents don't really like him much because he "didn't fit in" with their lives.
What really sold me on this book is that Leah not only accepts Hamilton's personality traits but embraces them. Her acceptance of him just the way his is gives Hamilton the ability to break down some of the barriers that has kept him hidden away from life.
~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~
February 27, 2019
Loved the quirkiness of Hamilton and the laugh out loud beginning of the book. Thought for sure I was reading a 5-star story and couldn't wait to read the next page but somewhere around the 75 percent mark, the flow started to disappoint me. The build-up to sex was better than the act and just hours after his first time, they have anal, really? Bla. The ending would have been cute with Leah getting a message on a cookie from Hamilton using his master decorating skills. Still a good story.
Giving it a 4-star only because it might lead to another book with a Hamilton character.
Cheers
Giving it a 4-star only because it might lead to another book with a Hamilton character.
Cheers
March 14, 2018
Gooodddnessss *fans herself*
- VIRGIN, CUDDLY, ARMY VETERAN, QUIRKY HERO
- NON-VIRGIN BAKERY OWNER HEROINE
- ASS-PLAY, and no, I'm not talking about him doing it to her,he did though, BUT SHE DID IT TO HIM!!!!!!! *sighs*
I really did need a book like that, it warmed my heartand my lady parts. I just wish Hamilton had a POV, I would give anything to be in his mind lol
Not even the lack of epilogue and a HFN ending could lower my rating.
- VIRGIN, CUDDLY, ARMY VETERAN, QUIRKY HERO
- NON-VIRGIN BAKERY OWNER HEROINE
- ASS-PLAY, and no, I'm not talking about him doing it to her,
I really did need a book like that, it warmed my heart
Not even the lack of epilogue and a HFN ending could lower my rating.
June 15, 2020
4.5 stars for the first 46% of this light and funny single POV romcom, then stopped dead by a wall of sex that didn't engage me. DNF at 60%.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews